2013 Seattle Mariners: Midseason report card

July 1, 2013 8:32 PM

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2013 Seattle Mariners: Midseason report card
The Mariners are now past the halfway point of the year -- 82 games through the 162-game season. Unfortunately for Seattle fans, however, the M's haven't exactly lived up to expectations. Through those 82 games, the 2013 Mariners are 35-47 and 12 games under .500.
What's gone wrong this season? Well, a lot has gone wrong. But we'll do our best to assess this flailing Seattle team as best we can. Here is our midseason report card for all the 2013 Mariners. Click through the gallery to see them all.
All statistics are current as of July 1, 2013.
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2013 Seattle Mariners: Midseason report card The Mariners are now past the halfway point of the year -- 82 games through the 162-game season. Unfortunately for Seattle fans, however, the M's haven't exactly ... more

Dustin Ackley | Grade: F second baseman
Many had hoped Ackley would bounce back this season and live up to his No. 2-overall selection in the 2009 draft. That hasn’t happened, and fans are sad. After a stint in Triple-A, he now finds himself back with the M's in the outfield. The second half will be very telling if this ''slump'' is going to be a permanent occurrence or if Ackley can find his swing again.
Average: .202 | On-base: .261 | Slugging: .245 | At-bats: 163 | Games: 48
Hits: 33 | RBI: 8 | Strikeouts: 32 | Doubles: 4 | Triples: 0 | Home runs: 1
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Dustin Ackley | Grade: Fsecond baseman Many had hoped Ackley would bounce back this season and live up to his No. 2-overall selection in the 2009 draft. That hasn’t happened, and fans are sad. After a ... more

Robert Andino | Grade: Finfielder Remember him? Andino was on the Mariners' Opening Day roster, but he had Brendan Ryan’s bat without Brendan Ryan’s glove. That’s a recipe for the minor leagues, which ... more

Jason Bay | Grade: Coutfielder Jason Bay has done Jason Bay-like things this season. He’s hit some home runs, but he’s also hit for a .220 average. He hasn’t been awful and he hasn’t been good, so ... more

Blake Beavan | Grade: Dright-handed pitcher
Beavan started the season in the bullpen, got sent down after a shaky April, then rejoined the big-league club in early June -- and has been just as expected: mediocre. A starter in 2012, he has mainly been used as a long reliever and continues to throw so-so stuff.
ERA: 5.97 | Record: 0-1 | Games: 11 | Innings: 37.2
Hits: 44 | Strikeouts: 25 | Walks: 7 | Earned runs: 25
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Blake Beavan | Grade: Dright-handed pitcher Beavan started the season in the bullpen, got sent down after a shaky April, then rejoined the big-league club in early June -- and has been just as expected: ... more

Jeremy Bonderman | Grade: B right-handed pitcher
After missing two seasons with elbow problems, Bonderman was shelled in his first start back in the big leagues. But the right-hander recovered swimmingly, giving up only four runs in his next four starts. He’s still got a ways to go, but Bonderman looks to have put his arm woes behind him.
ERA: 4.05 | Record: 1-2 | Games: 6 | Innings: 33.1
Hits: 33 | Strikeouts: 12 | Walks: 12 | Earned runs: 15
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Jeremy Bonderman | Grade: Bright-handed pitcher After missing two seasons with elbow problems, Bonderman was shelled in his first start back in the big leagues. But the right-hander recovered swimmingly, ... more

Carter Capps | Grade: Cright-handed pitcher
With heat approaching 99 mph, Capps has the potential to be a big-time reliever. But at 22, in his second MLB season, he is still inconsistent and leaves a lot of pitches over the plate. Yes, he has 40 strikeouts, but he has allowed 41 hits in 31.2 innings.
ERA: 5.97 | Record: 2-2 | Games: 30 | Innings: 31.2
Hits: 41 | Strikeouts: 40 | Walks: 9 | Earned runs: 21
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Carter Capps | Grade: Cright-handed pitcher With heat approaching 99 mph, Capps has the potential to be a big-time reliever. But at 22, in his second MLB season, he is still inconsistent and leaves a lot of ... more

Endy Chavez | Grade: B+outfielder
In his second stint with the Mariners, Chavez's contributions this season have been quiet but not unnoticed. In his 12th year in the bigs, he has stepped up and given the Mariners some pop at the plate and has filled in nicely as Seattle suffered injuries. Can't complain much.
Average: .272 | On-base: .288 | Slugging: .347 | At-bats: 202 | Games: 58
Hits: 55 | RBI: 11 | Strikeouts: 26 | Doubles: 9 | Triples: 0 | Home runs: 2
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Endy Chavez | Grade: B+outfielder In his second stint with the Mariners, Chavez's contributions this season have been quiet but not unnoticed. In his 12th year in the bigs, he has stepped up and given the ... more

Danny Farquhar | Grade: B right-handed pitcher
''Lord Farquhar'' has been shaky at best this season. At times, his pitches baffle hitters – seen in his 13 strikeouts per nine innings. However, hitters have been the ones baffling Farquhar more often than not this season.
ERA: 6.05 | Record: 0-0 | Games: 12 | Innings: 19.1
Hits: 18 | Strikeouts: 28 | Walks: 7 | Earned runs: 13
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Danny Farquhar | Grade: Bright-handed pitcher ''Lord Farquhar'' has been shaky at best this season. At times, his pitches baffle hitters – seen in his 13 strikeouts per nine innings. However, hitters have ... more

Nick Franklin | Grade: Asecond baseman
Franklin was called up from Triple-A in late May when the M's sent down Dustin Ackley, and Franklin has certainly been impressive. The rookie added some much-needed spark to the lineup and hasn't put up bad numbers, either. One of Seattle's top prospects before his promotion, Franklin looks to have lots of potential in the majors.
Average: .295 | On-base: .363 | Slugging: .482 | At-bats: 112 | Games: 31
Hits: 33 | RBI: 15 | Strikeouts: 19 | Doubles: 9 | Triples: 0 | Home runs: 4
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Nick Franklin | Grade: Asecond baseman Franklin was called up from Triple-A in late May when the M's sent down Dustin Ackley, and Franklin has certainly been impressive. The rookie added some much-needed ... more

Charlie Furbush | Grade: B-left-handed pitcher
Furbush has great stuff and is usually dependable, but has bent under pressure at key times this season. That said, he's brought his ERA down from as high as 5.40 earlier in the season.
ERA: 3.90 | Record: 1-4 | Games: 35 | Innings: 30.0
Hits: 20 | Strikeouts: 45 | Walks: 16 | Earned runs: 13
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Charlie Furbush | Grade: B-left-handed pitcher Furbush has great stuff and is usually dependable, but has bent under pressure at key times this season. That said, he's brought his ERA down from as high as ... more

Franklin Gutierrez | Grade: incompletecenter fielder He should get a ''D,'' as in ''disabled,'' but we’ll give him an incomplete for now. The thing is, Gutierrez has played respectably when healthy. The ... more

Aaron Harang | Grade: C right-handed pitcher
Harang was brought in early this season when it became evident the Mariners could no longer stick with the likes of Blake Beavan and Brandon Maurer in the starting rotation. Aside from a rocky few starts, Harang has performed adequately as a stopgap. But he is just that – a temporary solution.
ERA: 5.08 | Record: 3-7 | Games: 13 | Innings: 72.2
Hits: 79 | Strikeouts: 60 | Walks: 11 | Earned runs: 41
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Aaron Harang | Grade: Cright-handed pitcher Harang was brought in early this season when it became evident the Mariners could no longer stick with the likes of Blake Beavan and Brandon Maurer in the starting ... more

Felix Hernandez | Grade: A-right-handed pitcher
He is still the King -- one of the best pitchers in all of baseball. But he is still the King -- meaning, he sometimes struggles. Hernandez has had a few atypical outings recently, but he'll surely bounce back -- like he always does.
ERA: 2.70 | Record: 8-4 | Games: 17 | Innings: 116.2
Hits: 106 | Strikeouts: 123 | Walks: 22 | Earned runs: 35
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Felix Hernandez | Grade: A-right-handed pitcher He is still the King -- one of the best pitchers in all of baseball. But he is still the King -- meaning, he sometimes struggles. Hernandez has had a few ... more

Raul Ibañez | Grade: Aoutfielder
Who knew Ibañez, at 41 years old and back with the Mariners for his third stint, would put together one of the best seasons of his 18-year career? He leads the team in home runs and is ranked sixth in the American League with 19, and has been Seattle's best hitter all season. He also brings lots of leadership and wisdom to the clubhouse.
Average: .246 | On-base: .292 | Slugging: .544 | At-bats: 228 | Games: 61
Hits: 56 | RBI: 45 | Strikeouts: 59 | Doubles: 7 | Triples: 2 | Home runs: 19
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Raul Ibañez | Grade: Aoutfielder Who knew Ibañez, at 41 years old and back with the Mariners for his third stint, would put together one of the best seasons of his 18-year career? He leads the team in home ... more

Hisashi Iwakuma | Grade: Aright-handed pitcher
It’s not a huge surprise the Mariners have a Cy Young candidate in their rotation, but if you thought Hisashi Iwakuma would be that candidate, pat yourself on the back. The second-year pitcher out of Japan has been nothing short of spectacular this season, using a combination of fastball location and a nasty splitter, slider, curveball combination to baffle hitters. Halfway though the year, Iwakuma takes home top honors in this Mariners class.
ERA: 2.42 | Record: 7-3 | Games: 17 | Innings: 115.1
Hits: 84 | Strikeouts: 101 | Walks: 17 | Earned runs: 31
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Hisashi Iwakuma | Grade: Aright-handed pitcher It’s not a huge surprise the Mariners have a Cy Young candidate in their rotation, but if you thought Hisashi Iwakuma would be that candidate, pat yourself on ... more

Alex Liddi | Grade: incompleteutility player
We saw Liddi again for just eight games at the big-league level, and once again he wasn't that remarkable. But just eight games in the majors ain't enough for a full grade, so he gets an ''incomplete.'' He was just designated for assignment, so he may never return -- he may be a perennial Quadruple-A player.
Average: .059 | On-base: .111 | Slugging: .118 | At-bats: 17 | Games: 8
Hits: 1 | RBI: 0 | Strikeouts: 7 | Doubles: 1 | Triples: 0 | Home runs: 0
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Alex Liddi | Grade: incompleteutility player We saw Liddi again for just eight games at the big-league level, and once again he wasn't that remarkable. But just eight games in the majors ain't enough for a ... more

Lucas Luetge | Grade: incompleteleft-handed pitcher We haven’t seen Luetge since May. But when we did see him, he was bad. With only 11 innings under his belt this season, we’ll give Luetge an incomplete ... more

Brandon Maurer | Grade: C-right-handed pitcher
Maurer may well deserve an ''incomplete,'' but he did start 10 games at the beginning of the year. The Mariners, after his impressive spring training, leap-frogged Maurer from Double-A to the majors -- and it ended up being, indeed, too early a promotion. Maurer showed promising stuff, but still needs time to hone his control.
ERA: 6.93 | Record: 2-7 | Games: 10 | Innings: 49.1
Hits: 66 | Strikeouts: 32 | Walks: 17 | Earned runs: 38
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Brandon Maurer | Grade: C-right-handed pitcher Maurer may well deserve an ''incomplete,'' but he did start 10 games at the beginning of the year. The Mariners, after his impressive spring training, ... more

Yoervis Medina | Grade: B+ right-handed pitcher
Only 24 years old, Yoervis Medina has been a silver lining in a bullpen that has seen its fair share of disappointment this season. The Venezuelan right-hander has performed admirably as the Mariners' hard-throwing set-up man at times this season. With the closer role still up for grabs, Medina may have a chance to win that spot in the second half.
ERA: 2.76 | Record: 3-2 | Games: 28 | Innings: 29.1
Hits: 22 | Strikeouts: 29 | Walks: 18 | Earned runs: 9
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Yoervis Medina | Grade: B+right-handed pitcher Only 24 years old, Yoervis Medina has been a silver lining in a bullpen that has seen its fair share of disappointment this season. The Venezuelan right-hander ... more

Brad Miller | Grade: incompleteshortstop
The kids just keep coming, and it looks like they’re here to stay. Brad Miller was the latest call-up by the Mariners as they look to spark a lethargic offense with young prospects. Miller’s offensive numbers in the minors offer plenty of excitement, but it remains to be seen if he can deliver on the big stage.
Average: .182 | On-base: .308 | Slugging: .364 | At-bats: 11 | Games: 3
Hits: 2 | RBI: 1 | Strikeouts: 3 | Doubles: 2 | Triples: 0 | Home runs: 0
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Brad Miller | Grade: incompleteshortstop The kids just keep coming, and it looks like they’re here to stay. Brad Miller was the latest call-up by the Mariners as they look to spark a lethargic offense with ... more

Jesus Montero | Grade: F catcher
Where do we even begin with Montero? Does ''disappointing'' even begin to describe the kind of season it’s been thus far for the once-heralded prospect? He’s in Triple-A now and injured, but when he was with the Mariners he was awful. Throw in a potential steroid controversy and Montero has a lot of work to do before he can earn a passing grade.
Average: .208 | On-base: .264 | Slugging: .327 | At-bats: 101 | Games: 29
Hits: 21 | RBI: 9 | Strikeouts: 21 | Doubles: 1 | Triples: 1 | Home runs: 3
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Jesus Montero | Grade: Fcatcher Where do we even begin with Montero? Does ''disappointing'' even begin to describe the kind of season it’s been thus far for the once-heralded prospect? He’s in Triple-A ... more

Kendrys Moralez | Grade: A-designated hitter
Morales may never be the superstar he was developing into for the Angels before injuring himself, but he could be on the path. He has been a strong hitter for the Mariners this season, and though like many M's has battled injuries, could be someone the team might want to lock up before he becomes a free agent at the end of the year. If possible.
Average: .277 | On-base: .334 | Slugging: .433 | At-bats: 300 | Games: 78
Hits: 83 | RBI: 42 | Strikeouts: 59 | Doubles: 20 | Triples: 0 | Home runs: 9
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Kendrys Moralez | Grade: A-designated hitter Morales may never be the superstar he was developing into for the Angels before injuring himself, but he could be on the path. He has been a strong hitter for the ... more

Michael Morse | Grade: Boutfielder
Morse tore the cover off the baseball in April. He led all of baseball in home runs after two weeks, but has since been slowed by – what else? -- injuries. Morse has proven he’s a good hitter, but he still needs to prove he can do it on a consistent basis.
Average: .251 | On-base: .313 | Slugging: .454 | At-bats: 207 | Games: 56
Hits: 52 | RBI: 23 | Strikeouts: 57 | Doubles: 9 | Triples: 0 | Home runs: 11
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Michael Morse | Grade: Boutfielder Morse tore the cover off the baseball in April. He led all of baseball in home runs after two weeks, but has since been slowed by – what else? -- injuries. Morse has ... more

Hector Noesi | Grade: incompleteright-handed pitcher
It's tempting to give Noesi a bad grade, since he was undependable in 2012 and has been optioned back to Triple-A this season. But he just hasn't had much of a chance to shine this year -- if he ever does. Noesi has mainly been used as a long reliever and is now back with the Rainiers.
ERA: 4.74 | Record: 0-1 | Games: 7 | Innings: 19.0
Hits: 27 | Strikeouts: 16 | Walks: 7 | Earned runs: 10
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Hector Noesi | Grade: incompleteright-handed pitcher It's tempting to give Noesi a bad grade, since he was undependable in 2012 and has been optioned back to Triple-A this season. But he just hasn't had much ... more

Oliver Perez | Grade: A-left-handed pitcher It’s been a renaissance year for Oliver Perez. With a 1.54 ERA, Perez finds himself among the best relief pitchers in baseball at the halfway point. The only ... more

Stephen Pryor | Grade: incompleteright-handed pitcher
Pryor appeared in seven early games before tearing a muscle in his back, and hasn't been back since. The M's could use his high heat on the mound, but they'll have to wait until he's healthy. As such, he gets an ''incomplete.''
ERA: 0.00 | Record: 0-0 | Games: 7 | Innings: 7.1
Hits: 3 | Strikeouts: 7 | Walks: 1 | Earned runs: 0
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Stephen Pryor | Grade: incompleteright-handed pitcher Pryor appeared in seven early games before tearing a muscle in his back, and hasn't been back since. The M's could use his high heat on the mound, but ... more

Brendan Ryan | Grade: C-shortstop Brendan Ryan can play defense really, really well. But defense isn’t enough to make up for a .199 batting average. With Brad Miller now up, look for the Mariners to trade ... more

Joe Saunders | Grade: C-left-handed pitcher ''Safeco Joe'' has lived up to his nickname this season as a home-field pitcher. At Safeco Field this season, Saunders has a respectable 3.56 ERA -- but away from ... more

Michael Saunders | Grade: Doutfielder
The Mariners expected big things out of Saunders this season, particularly after his great showing for Canada in the World Baseball Classic. But he's been slumping all year with just about no clutch dependability. If the M's had all of their outfielders healthy, Saunders would probably be in Triple-A right now.
Average: .211 | On-base: .296 | Slugging: .320 | At-bats: 194 | Games: 60
Hits: 41 | RBI: 15 | Strikeouts: 60 | Doubles: 7 | Triples: 1 | Home runs: 4
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Michael Saunders | Grade: Doutfielder The Mariners expected big things out of Saunders this season, particularly after his great showing for Canada in the World Baseball Classic. But he's been slumping all ... more

Kyle Seager | Grade: A-third baseman Mr. Dependable continues to be Mr. Dependable. While he may not be batting .300, he's a consistent hitter who doesn't often choke in clutch situations. Remember his ... more

Kelly Shoppach | Grade: D+catcher
Shoppach was the Mariners’ primary catching option for much of the first half and deserves kudos for his hard work, but he was a casualty of the team’s midseason youth movement. Shoppach played decently behind the plate, but his bat never came around. The M's released him late last month.
Average: .196 | On-base: .293 | Slugging: .346 | At-bats: 107 | Games: 35
Hits: 21 | RBI: 9 | Strikeouts: 45 | Doubles: 7 | Triples: 0 | Home runs: 3
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Kelly Shoppach | Grade: D+catcher Shoppach was the Mariners’ primary catching option for much of the first half and deserves kudos for his hard work, but he was a casualty of the team’s midseason youth ... more

Justin Smoak | Grade: Cfirst baseman
He’s been off and on the bench with injuries this season, but when healthy, Smoak has offered a glimmer of hope with his bat. And while a .245 average and 6 home runs is, by no means, a measure for celebration, Smoak has shown improvement over the course of the season. He earns a passing grade for now, but he needs to keep improving in the second half.
Average: .245 | On-base: .352 | Slugging: .378 | At-bats: 188 | Games: 56
Hits: 46 | RBI: 13 | Strikeouts: 49 | Doubles: 7 | Triples: 0 | Home runs: 6
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Justin Smoak | Grade: Cfirst baseman He’s been off and on the bench with injuries this season, but when healthy, Smoak has offered a glimmer of hope with his bat. And while a .245 average and 6 home runs ... more

Carlos Triunfel | Grade: incompleteinfielder
Triunfel has been plugging holes here and there since getting called up in late May, but hasn't exactly distinguished himself. Another guy who's essentially a Quadruple-A player, he's appeared in just nine games over a month and a half, so he gets an ''incomplete.''
Average: .083 | On-base: .120 | Slugging: .083 | At-bats: 24 | Games: 9
Hits: 2 | RBI: 1 | Strikeouts: 8 | Doubles: 0 | Triples: 0 | Home runs: 0
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Carlos Triunfel | Grade: incompleteinfielder Triunfel has been plugging holes here and there since getting called up in late May, but hasn't exactly distinguished himself. Another guy who's essentially a ... more

Tom Wilhelmsen | Grade: C-right-handed pitcher
Wilhelmsen started the career as a lights-out closer. He was brilliant, unhittable, a potential All-Star. But then came his meltdown in Cleveland, when he blew his first save of the year, and he hasn't been the same since. Wilhelmsen lost the closer role after five blown saves in less than a month, and is now trying to bounce back.
ERA: 3.89 | Record: 0-2 | Games: 34 | Innings: 34.2 | Saves: 16
Hits: 22 | Strikeouts: 27 | Walks: 17 | Earned runs: 15 | Blown saves: 5
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Tom Wilhelmsen | Grade: C-right-handed pitcher Wilhelmsen started the career as a lights-out closer. He was brilliant, unhittable, a potential All-Star. But then came his meltdown in Cleveland, when he blew ... more

Mike Zunino | Grade: incompletecatcher
He got called up in June just a year after the M's drafted him third-overall in 2012, and many fans thought his promotion was too early. But the Mariners needed a catcher after Jesus Montero got sent down and his replacement, Jesus Sucre, got injured. Zunino has been holding his own in the bigs, but hasn't shown us enough to get a grade.
Average: .227 | On-base: .261 | Slugging: .341 | At-bats: 44 | Games: 13
Hits: 10 | RBI: 2 | Strikeouts: 11 | Doubles: 2 | Triples: 0 | Home runs: 1
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Mike Zunino | Grade: incompletecatcher He got called up in June just a year after the M's drafted him third-overall in 2012, and many fans thought his promotion was too early. But the Mariners needed a ... more

Eric Wedge | Grade: C+manager
Wedge has had to deal with a lot this season -- lots and lots of injuries, mainly. It's hard to blame him for the Mariners' woes, but then again there are few other people to blame. Now midway through his third season in Seattle, Wedge has the Mariners hitting poorly, pitching inconsistently and looking no better than they did before he arrived. Could 2013 be his last season with the Mariners? We'll see how the team performs in the next few months.
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Eric Wedge | Grade: C+manager Wedge has had to deal with a lot this season -- lots and lots of injuries, mainly. It's hard to blame him for the Mariners' woes, but then again there are few other people to ... more